An Endophytic Nodulisporium Sp. Producing Volatile Organic Compounds Having Bioactivity and Fuel Potential

Abstract

Nodulisporium sp. has been isolated as an endophyte of Myroxylon balsamum found in the upper Napo region of the Ecuadorian Amazon. This organism produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have both fuel and biological potential. Under microaerophilic growth environments, the organism produces 1, 4-cyclohexadiene, 1-methyl- , 1-4 pentadiene and cyclohexene, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)- along with some alcohols and terpenoids of interest as potential fuels. The fungus was scaled up in an aerated large fermentation flask, and the VOCs trapped by Carbotrap technology and analyzed by headspace solid –phase microextraction (SPME) fiber-GC/MS. Under these conditions, Nodulisporium sp. produces a series of alkyl alcohols starting with 1-butanol-3-methyl, 1- propanol-2-methyl, 1- pentanol, 1-hexanol, 1-heptanol, 1- octanol, 1-nonanol along with phenylethyl alcohol. The organism also produces secondary alkyl alcohols, esters, ketones, benzene derivatives, a few terpenoids, and some hydrocarbons. It appears that many of the products have fuel potential. Furthermore, the VOCs of Nodulisporium sp. were active against a number of pathogens causing death to both Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizoctonia solani and severe growth inhibition produced in Phytophthora cinnamomi and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum within 48 hr of exposure. The Carbotrapped materials somewhat mimicked the bioactivities of the culture itself when certain test organisms were exposed to these VOCs. A brief discussion on the relationship of these fungal VOCs to those compounds found in transportation fuels is presented.